The present invention relates generally to control apparatus and more specifically to devices for enhancing the cooling of such control apparatus, and most particularly to devices for enhancing the cooling of a friction disc, especially at relatively low RPM.
During the engagement of friction surfaces in control apparatuses such as brakes and clutches, thermal horsepower is generated which must be dissipated to allow continued operation of the control apparatus. It is then common to include fins on the friction disc to create a flow of air from adjacent the center of the friction disc and passing radially over the friction disc past the periphery of the friction disc and to the atmosphere. However, at relatively slow RPM, the rotational windage or rate of forward flow created by the rotation of the friction disc may be insufficient to dissipate the thermal horsepower generated by the control apparatus. Therefore, a need has arisen for enhancing the cooling of the friction disc especially at relatively low RPM.